Strip feeding device



Jan. 5, 1960 J. 'r. DAVlDSON ETAL 2,919,915

STRIP FEEDING DEVICE Filed June 14, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 q 9 l! g! /a l .l=i ii 5 IN VEN TORS JOHN I DA V/DSO/V CHA RL 5 E HOWARD ATTORNEY Jan. 5, 1960 J. T. DAVIDSON ETAL 2,919,915

STRIP FEEDING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1956 M m T A N W Www v N E IME N s R TM 0 NR m w MM JC Y B 0 L 5 L WU... 7 iv w 4 7/ J 6 u, u. 2 I 4 r Jan. 5, 19 0 J. T. DAVIDSON ETAL 2,919,915

STRIP FEEDING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 14, 1956 mmvrons JOHN I DA woso/v CHARZfS FHOWARD BY ATTORNEY United States PatentC STRIP FEEDING DEVICE John T. Davidson and Charles F. Howard, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to The Standard Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 14, 1956, Serial No. 592,234

8 Claims. (Cl. 271-23) This invention relates to strip feeding apparatus, and

although not so limited, has particular application to the feeding by rotary pin type feeding devices of record form strip material comprising multiple, superposed strip components having registering marginal perforations for engagement by the pins of the pin feeding devices.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, specially designed pin wheels feed the record strip by means of pins which fit loosely in the marginal perforations of the strip, but which may be expanded in one direction to the exact size of the respective strip perforations to preclude a relative shifting motion of the strip or of the components thereof in a longitudinal or lateral sense.

The use of two or more such pin wheels which have their directions of expansion at right angles to one another in the plane of the strip permits a precise location and orientation of the presented record form, as required. This system has the advantage of permitting the feeding of a relatively loose or slack strip, for easy entry and exit of the pins into and out of the strip perforations, and for. the required jogging action of each form in relation to the others. Also, however, it provides for the maintenance of a tight and exactly located strip during that part of a machine cycle or other time when such exact locating of the strip is desirable. The transition from a loose strip to a tight strip condition is independ ent of both angular velocity and position of the pin wheel, but may be accomplished near or at the end of a feeding cycle, where correction of position is required before other actions take place.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as Well as the means and mode of operation of strip feeding devices, whereby such devices may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efficient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of applications, and be unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to present a tensioned, accurately positioned strip for purposes of better sensing, inscribing or the like of successively advanced record forms.

Another object of the invention is to obtain a complete freedom of feeding movement of the strip material, retaining an ability in superposed forms to jog or to move relatively to one another to keep the perforations and the imprinted material in registration with corresponding parts of the overlying and underlying forms.

A further object of the invention is to obtain an intermittent, fast acting correction in the position of the strip components through means operating in a timed relation with advancement of the strip, as forexample in the intervals between advance thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to present a generally new rotary pin feeding device featuring expansible pins. in an escalator type movement.

A ftu-ther object of'the invention is to provide a strip feeding device possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein mentioned.

p Ice With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein is shown one but obviously'not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a top plan View, fragmentary in form, of strip feeding apparatus in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section, taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, some parts being omitted. j

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2,.showing the parts in the position they occupy with the feeding pins expanded.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the pins in an expanded condition. 7

Fig. 5 is a detail view in cross section, taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a detail view, showing the complementary of the kind used for lateral expansion in the upper leftv and lower right hand devices as viewed in Figs. 1 and 4..

Fig. 7 is a 'view in perspective of the upper left or lower right hand device as seen in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is aview of the device of Fig. 7, taken from substantially diametrically opposed angle.

Fig. 9 isan exploded view of an assembly of parts forming the left half of the device of Fig. 7, as well as that part of the device movable to effect expansion of the split pins.

Fig. 10 is a detail view in side elevation of the split pin used for longitudinal expansion, being a view taken substantially along the line Ill-10 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the pin structure of Fig. 10, being taken substantially along the line 1111 of Fig. 10.

Like parts. are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is disclosed as embodied in a forms feeding mechanism wherein a record strip '10 comprised of a plurality of superposed record strip components is fed or advanced in intermittent step by step fashion for recording on the successive forms, for detachment thereof or like purposes. In theside margins of the strip 10 are respective longitudinal series of equi-distant perforations 11. The superposed strip components normally have their perforations 11 in alignment with corresponding perforations of the other components of the strip in such wise that corresponding imprinted portions of the strip components also are in registry.

The record strip material is advanced by engagement of pin'feeding devices 12, 13, 14 and 15 with the strip perforations 11. The devices 12 to 15 are intermittently operated and bring successive sets of record forms to a position of rest, at which time they may be inscribed, read by automatic sensing devices, be severed from the strip, or the like. In the illustrated instance, pre-printed 13 extending in transverse underlying relation to the strip and suitably supported in a machine frame. The feeding device 14 and its companion, laterally spaced apart device 15, are mounted on a shaft 19 similarly arranged and supported and in longitudinal spaced relation to the shaft 13. As indicated in Fig. 3, the strip material is supported upon a table 21 which is provided with forward and rearward openings 22 and 23 through which the pin feeding devices have access to the strip. The shafts i8 and 19 have an identical relation to the feeding devices mounted thereon and both are suitably driven from a power source. As further indicated in Fig. 3, only one shaft may be directly connected with the power source while the other is accorded a corresponding speed and direction of movement through an endless belt 2%.

The diagonally opposed feeding devices 12. and 35 are identical in their construction and arrangement of parts. Similarly, the devices 13 and 14 are identical in their construction and arrangement of parts. The device 12, referring particularly to Fig. 5, comprises a sleeve 2 keyed to the shaft 18. Secured to the sleeve 24 are spaced apart washer assemblies 25 and 26 which receive between them a slide 27 having a relatively elongated opening 23 through which the sleeve 24 passes. The

opening 28 permits a lateral relative shifting motion of the slide 27 with respect to the sleeve 24 and shaft 13. At its outer end, the slide 27 is connected through an adjustable eccentric 28 with one end of a lever 29 pivotally connected at its opposite end to a relatively stationary means 31 and carrying intermediate its ends a roller 32. The roller 32 rides the periphery of a cam 33 on a shaft 34 suitably mounted in the frame work of the machine and rotating in conjunction with rotation of the pin wheel shafts if and 19. A spring 35 tends to rock the lever 29 in a counterclockwise direction, requiring the roller 32 to bear upon the edge of the cam 33. A high point 36 on the cam edge is engageable with the roller 32 to rock the arm 29 in a clockwise direction against the urging of the spring 35 once for each complete revolution of the cam 33 and it will be understood that this motion of the lever 29 may be predetermined to occur at any selected point in the rotary movement of the shafts 18 and 19, as for example at or just prior to the time that the feeding devices come to rest at the end of an increment of feeding movement.

Under the influence of the cam 33, therefore, the slide 27 in the feeding device 12, moves in a reciprocable motion once for each complete revolution of the shaft 34 or within a selected interval of each strip feeding cycle.

Thus, the slide may be caused to move in one direction 9 at the end of a feeding movement and be caused to move in the opposite direction at or just prior to the start of another feeding movement.

Non-rotatably mounted on the sleeve 24' is a plate 37 having a hub 33 extending toward the reciprocable member 27. The hub 33 provides a mounting for a U-shaped bracket 41 fixedly attached to the plate 37. A laterally projecting stud 39 on the bracket 41 is received in an elongated slot at in the slide member 27. The latter, being anchored to the lever 29 as before described, is held against rotation. By virtue of engagement of the stud 39 in the slot 4%, the bracket 41 and plate member 37 are similarly held against rotation. The U-shaped bracket 41 has cam slots 42 in the upstanding side arms thereof. The slide member 27 carries rollers 43 received in the cam slots 42. The construction and arrangement of parts, as may be seen in Figs. 8 and 9, is that in response to the bodily shifting motion of the slide member 27, as before described, the bracket 41 and plate 37 to which it is attached are moved reciprocably in an axial sense or longitudinally of the sleeve 24.

The plate 37 is eccentrically disposed on the sleeve 24, as seen in Fig. 2, and on that side face opposite the U-shaped bracket 41 is formed with a concentric reduced diameter bearing shoulder 44. Secured to the same side face of the plate 37 is a supplemental plate 45 having its peripheral edge in overlapping relation to the corresponding edge of the bearing portion 44. An alignment ring 46 is counterbored to rest simultaneously on the peripheries of the plate member 45 and the bearing portion The ring 46 is relatively rotatable upon its mounting and is formed with a circumferential series of radial grooves 4-7 and with a circumferential series of longitudinal through openings 48 opening into the grooved areas 47. in oppositely disposed spaced apart relation to the alignment ring 46, and concentric with the sleeve 24, is a carrier plate member 49 having a circumferential series of longitudinal openings 50 therein. The carrier plate member 49 is secured to the sleeve 24 for rotation therewith. Carried between the plate member 49 and the alignment ring 465 is a circumferential series of pin units 5;. comprising separate parallel carrier elements 52 and 53 and intermediate upstanding half pin forma tions 54 and 55 on the respective carrier elements. The carrier elements are, moreover, formed with through openings 56 and S7 at the opposite ends thereof and at the respective other ends carry trunnions 52"; and 53. The elements 52 and 53 it may be seen, are duplicates of one another. When reversely arranged, as seen in Fig. 6, the trunnions 58 and 59, which extend through their respective carriers, are received at their one ends in corresponding openings 56 and 57 of the other carriers to provide a mutually supporting relationship wherein the half pin portions 54 and 55 are in mating, substantially contacting relation to define a whole, single feeding pin. Extending in the opposite direction from their respective carriers, the trunnions 58 and 59 are received in respective openings 50 and 48 in the carrier plate 49 and the alignment ring 46. Washers on the projecting ends of the trunnions maintain the parts in an assembled relation.

It may be recognized that with a construction and arrangement of parts as described, a rotary motion of the plate 49, as effected by rotation of the sleeve 24 with the shaft 18, is eflfective through the pin assemblies 51 correspondingly to rotate the alignment ring 46 which turns freely upon the plate 45 and bearing portion 44-. The pin assemblies maintain a generally upright position in response to such motion and are projected successively above the plane of the pin wheel body which may be said to be comprised by the members 49, 16 and 37. The plane of such body is substantially tangent to the upper surface of the table 21, the pin wheel body being in effect received in the opening 22 so that each successively projected pin may rise in its motion into engagement with a perforation 11in the strip lltl, then move the strip an increment of motion and finally withdraw from the strip while following pins take up the burden of advance thereof.

The previously mentioned spring 35 tends to maintain the rollers 43 to the front of the slot 42 whereby the pin assemblies 51 tend normally to assume a unitary, nonseparated relation, as viewed in Fig. 5. As the slide 27 is retracted, in response to actuation of the cam 33, the rollers 43 are drawn inward in the cam slots 42 and move the bracket member 41 outward or longitudinally to the left along hub 3%, as seen in Fig. 5. The plate 37, which is attached thereto, moves with the bracket member, carrying the alignment ring as with it by virtue of the overlapping connection between the plate member 48 and the alignment ring. The left hand carrier element 53 of the several feeding pin assemblies 51 accordingly is moved bodily away from its companion member 52 with a consequent separating of the half pin portions 54 and 55. Prior to the described action, the feeding pins have the appearance illustrated in Fig. 1. Subsequent thereto, or in response to the described separating motion, the pins have the appearance shown in Fig. 4.

The feeding pins of device 12 separate in a direction transversely of the path of movement of. the strip W.

Corresponding feeding pin assemblies 60 of the device 13 are arranged to separate in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the strip. The pin assemblies 60, as viewed in Figs. and 11, each comprise parallel relatively sliding carrier elements61 and 62. Extending upward from the element 61 is a pin portion 63 which above its baseportion is formed as a half pin overlying the companion element 62. Similarly, a pin portion'64 rises from the carrier-element 62 and above its base portion is formed as a half pin overlying the companion member 61. The half pin portions thus are separated along a line transversely of the longitudinal axes of the members 61 and 62. The element 61 has a laterally projecting trunnion 65 extending through an elongated slot 66 in the element 62. The element 62 has a trunnion 67 extending through an elongated opening 68 in the element 61. Here again, the elements 61 and 62, together with their feeding pin portions and trunnions are identical and are assembled in an inverse relation in such wise as to be mutually supporting and to define a single feeding pin of split construction, the pin portion being capable of being separated or in effect joined into a whole pin by' relative sliding movements of the carrier elements.

The feeding device of which the pin assemblies 60 are a part comprises a sleeve 69 keyed to the shaft 18 for rotation therewith. A' carrier plate 70, similar to the plate 49 of the first described device, is secured to the sleeve 69 concentricallyv and rotates therewith; The projecting ends of the trunnions 65 of the feeding pin assemblies 60 are receivedin circumferential openings in the plate 70 like the openings 50 in the plate 49. At the opposite ends of the feeding pin assemblies 60, the projecting trunnions 67 thereof are received in openings in an alignment ring 71 like the openings 48 in the alignment ring 46. The ring 71 and plate 70 thus support the pin assemblies 60 therebetween for an escalator like movement through an opening in the table 22 for engagement with the strip. The ring 71 is rotatably mounted on a bearing shoulder 72 (Fig. 2) integral with a slide '73 and longitudinally offset with respect to the carrier plate 70. The slide 73 has an opening 74 through which the sleeve 69 passes and is held in an assembled relation with respect to the alignment ring 70 and other pin wheel parts by a ring 75 locked to the sleeve. The slide 73 projects outwardly or to the rear of the feeding device and is connected through an eccentric 76 and relatively elongated slot 77 with one end of a lever 78 pivotally mounted at its lower end to a frame support 79. On the lever 78 between its ends is a roller 80 riding the periphery of a cam 81 under the influence of a spring 82. In Fig. 2, the device illustrated and described at the right hand side thereof is the feeding device 14, which as before noted is identical to the feeding device 13. The cam 81 thereof is on a cam shaft 83 which is rotated in syn chronism with the cam shaft 34 at the opposite end of the machine. Under the influence of the cam 81, the lever 78 accomplishes an oscillating motion once for each cycle of movement of the cam whereby to impart a similar reciprocating motion to the slide 73. Since the slide 73 carries the alignment ring 71, and since the feeding pin assemblies are anchored at their one ends in the ring 71, the carrier elements 61 of the feeding pin assemblies 60 shift in accompaniment with the alignment ring whereby to close and open the pin portions 63 and 64 in the manner efore de c b d. The con c ion and rr n e ment of parts plages identical pin feeding assemblies in diagonally opposed relation in the machine. Thus, the devices 12 and 15, when actuated, separate the pin assemblies 51 in a transverse direction causing the pin halves to move outward and contact diametrically opposed lateral portions of the edges of engaged perforations 11. Similarly, the feeding devices ai c'l 14, when t ted se r e e p nt. sembl e 60 e e f ii'a' longitudinal sense causing the pin halves thereof to engage forward and rearward edges of the perforations.

Through the combination of effects, the strip is held in asubstantially positive manner against relative shifting motion. Also, in the process of so moving, the pin as semblies realign and bring into positive registry all of the component strip elements of the strip assembly, and, in the event of a sensing arrangement as indicated at 1617, bring the pre-printed spots 16 into exact alignment with the sensing members 17.

It will be understood that the several shafts 18 and 19 and 34 and 83 are interconnected for unitary operation,- with the earns 33 and 81 being adjusted to actuate their respective levers 29 and 78 in a timed relation to advance of the strip. Thus, as before described, during the feeding interval, the several feeding pin assemblies are closed and so may freely enter and withdraw from the perforations in the strip, the feeding pins being normally undersize with respect to the dimensions of the perforations 11. At or just prior to the end of the feeding interval, the slides 27 and 73 are actuated to open the feeding pins, which then expand, taking up the above described positions in contact with the edges of the perforation whereby accurately to position the strip and hold it from movement relatively to the feeding pins.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and'arrangement ofparts Without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing anyof its ad vantages. i

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but

that the means and construction herein disclosed cominto effect.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. Apparatus for feeding strip material having a marginal longitudinally extending series of perforations, comprising, in combination, a rotary feeding device including a pair of rotary disc members, structure adjustably and rotatably supporting said disc members in parallel longitudinally offset relation, feeding pins supported between said disc members for projection into said perforations, said feeding pins having a size normally to be received by said perforations with a loose fit and each comprising complementary half pin members disposed in mutually supporting relation, said half pin members bemg connected respectively to different of said disc members, drive means for rotating said disc members in unison to advance said strip material, and means operating in synchronism with said drive means for intermittently adjusting said disc members one relative to the other to separate said half pin members and thereby expand said feeding pins to take up the looseness in the fit with said perforations.

[2. Apparatus for the feeding of strip material having marginal longitudinal extending series of perforations, including a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart rotary i fe ding de es 9 ea id o t e Strip d r taneously engageable therewith, each of said devices hav: ing pins normally of a size to be received in the perfor ations of the strip'with a loose fit, said pins having a split construction, the pins of a pairof devices on each side of the strip having their split portions respec tively at right angles to one another, means selectively to expand said pins into contact with diametrically opposed pq i g of h e of a e e ive e f r i n.

3- A mtary p e din de i e wi amena e t e pins, including rotary disc members in parallel longitudinally offset relation, feeding pins supported between said disc members, each of said pins comprising complementary half pin members in mutually supporting relation, said half pins being respectively connected to different disc members, said disc members being adjustable relatively to each other to separate said half pins.

4. A rotary pin feeding device according to claim 3. characterized in that said half pins are separated along a line transversely of a line passing longitudinally through said disc members, said disc members being adjustable relatively to one another in a longitudinal sense to separate said half pins.

5. A rotary pin feeding device according to claim 3 characterized in that said half pins are separated along a line parallel to a line passing longitudinally through said disc members, said disc members being adjustable relatively to one another in a transverse sense relatively to said longitudinal line to separate said half pins.

6. Apparatus for the intermittent feeding of marginally perforated strip material, including a pair of longitudinally spaced apart rotary pin feeding devices simultaneously engageable in the marginal perforations of the strip at each side edge thereof for advance of the strip in response to rotary movement of the devices, the pins of each of said feeding devices being of split construction and expansible into engagement with diametrically opposed portions of the perforation edges, the pins of one of each pair of said devices being expansible in a longitudinal direction in relation to the strip and the pins of the other one of each pair being expansible in a lateral direction, diagonally opposed ones of the different pairs acting in the same direction, and means intermittently operable in the rotation of said feeding devices to expand said pins thereof.

7. Apparatus for the intermittent feeding of marginally perforated strip material, including a pair of longitudinally spaced apart rotary pin feeding devices simultaneously engageable in the marginal perforations of the strip at each side edge thereof for advance of the strip in response to rotary movement of the devices, the pins of each of said feeding devices being of split construction and expnnsible into engagement with diametrically opposed portions of the perforation edges, the pins of one of each pair of said devices being split in a longitudinal direction whereby to engage lateral edges of the perforations and the pins of the other one of each pair being split in a lateral direction to engage longitudinal edges of the perforations, and means intermittently operable in the rotation of said feeding devices to expand said pins thereof.

8. Apparatus for the intermittent feeding of marginally perforated strip material according to claim 7, characterized in that diagonally opposed ones of the different pairs of feeding devices have their pins split in the same direction.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kalin Sept. 17, 1957 

